This blog is mainly about the spectacular train wreck at The Sacramento Bee and its parent company, the McClatchy Company. But I also post about current events, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, politics, anything else that grabs my attention. Take a look around this blog, hope you enjoy it.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Somber mood in Charlotte

Employees at The Charlotte Observer told a reporter at WFAE the mood at the newspaper is gloomy.

The mood is somber in the Charlotte Observer newsroom as employees deal with layoffs, significantly reduced hours and pay cuts. That's according to some staffers in the department.

Thirty newsroom workers are being laid off. Observer Publisher Ann Caulkins would not say who they are. But she says the quality of reporting will not be affected by these latest layoffs.

"We continue to be a top notch news gathering operation as a matter of fact after we had a couple of rounds of buyouts we still produced the series 'the Cruelest Cuts.' We did the series on the United Way, we've done incredible watchdog journalism with a lot less journalists," says Caulkins.

Newsroom employees say emotions are high right now and some people are depressed about their time being cut to 20-hour work weeks. They say some people who lost their jobs were called at home, others were on vacation. And they say many are in shock.

They say everyone has their eyes on the blog "McClatchy Watch" which tracks periodic announcements of layoffs at McClatchy Company-owned publications. McClatchy owns the Charlotte Observer, the Raleigh News and Observer and 28 other papers.

41 comments:

"Observer Publisher Ann Caulkins would not say who they are. But she says the quality of reporting will not be affected by these latest layoffs."It will truly be fun to see her get fired in the next few weeks when they announce Raleigh's Orage Quarles will take over the Publisher duties for both the News & Observer and the Charlotte Observer. Speaking of which, Quarles is going to take questions this afternoon during a meeting with the newsroom staff (well, what's left of it) in Raleigh.

Yep, McClatchy Watch is important. In fact, it's becoming a model example of why the internet is better, faster and soon to be more relevant than newspapers. Assuming the internet isn't already more relevant than newspapers...

Over at MeckDeck we long ago re-badged the CC series the "Hens of Hell" -- truly proof-positive of how far the paper strayed from actual journalism.

Great Gawd, someone acutally wrote "Your turkey sandwich comes with a side of pain" -- and it made it into print!

That clueless Ann Caulkins still hypes this waste of reporting resources as it rakes in the awards it was purpose-built to receive -- so much for serving your readers instead of special interests -- makes me feel a little sorry for her. She just cannot be very bright.

Ok, seriously? This has to be the biggest "no shit, Sherlock" story. I mean, really, were people expecting a party atmosphere? The mood at MOST newspapers is one of gloom and fear, and mourning for the friends who were cut off and the more responsibilities the survivors have. What a stupid story.

If I had a dime for every "no sh$t, Sherlock" story I had to work on at a newspaper. Like ANY story about the weather, for example. Come on, if you work for a paper, you know this story is significant, and why.

In yet another effort to show a tiny light at the end of the tunnel: Y'all, newspapers are DYING. I appreciate that you love them, the thunder of the presses, etc. You can still do what you love, but please stop clinging to this lifeboat that is going to sink and enact a Plan B. You can do it, and you'll feel MUCH better once you're working on something that has a future. I promise.

You have to love Caulkins comment on the level of journalism not suffering even after major layoffs. You can bet if they can figure out a way to outsource the "news gathering" to the Phillipines along with the ads and the finances she'll be all about that!

She won't be there long enough to "be all about that". She's toast. They will make Quarles the HMFIC and boot her dumb (white) ass to the curb.

Mr. Quarles,

If this is true and you going to become the Publisher of the Observer, don't listen to any of the "Hench Men and Women" that Caulkins put her faith in. They will tell you anything but the truth and smile while speaking. Believe me, you need to get a new group of underlings to talk to. It is all about them and their friends and cronyism is on the rampage at the Observer. It is not about skill it is about "Didn't I know you in High School?" Didn't we use to disco together back in the day. Please be aware of the culture and be prepared.

Enough about the news department and their suffering...they all acted like a bunch of snobs anyway...might I remind you like all other advertising businesses, The Charlotte Observer is a sales driven organization! Really, how many reporters got off their duffs, or quit watching the TV that was always blaring in the newsroom (short of a special interest multi-week piece) and came up with their very own story. It usually comes from a fax, press release, the AP or a salesperson giving you information about one of our paying clients, only to hear the news staff whine that we don't write stories about the very advertisers who support us by buying ads in our paper. Furthermore, if the sales staff would get out of the office, quit whining, hit the streets, and do a little work off of McClatchy's time clock they would sell the product....and earn their keep! I really don't care what department you work in or what department you were laid off from, or even though I agree, Ann Caulkins should resign, along with a few others in management positions, quit your belly-aching...make this all a fresh start. If you got laid off, then look for a position to better yourself and the company you go to work for, or if you choose to be self-employed go for the gusto! If you are still at The Charlotte Observer, then PLEASE make the very best of it, for the people who actually do care and like the place....help be a part of the rebuilding and success that has to be in the future!

you people at the observer are sad. You just want to blame anyone for all the issues the entire country is having. If you don't like the management at that place LEAVE! but ooh no you would rather hide out this blog and criticized people and I bet smile in their faces. Be brave and tell them to take their jobs and shove it, stop taking the paycheck and benefits--you might save some jobs of people who really want to work there. But I think you neardowells couldn't get a job at wendys. I feel sorry for the management team and having to put up with you idiots. It's sad. It's odd how race and gender come into issues like these when people are foaming at the mouth because you have jobs?. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Also, if I were that Ann lady I would kick you all out and find some productive employees who wanted to work there. I feel bad for the people who lost their jobs so people like you can stay employed- now that's the real probelm. complain about that..

Snobby newsroom..... lazy sales reps..... fat-cat upper management.Which are true?All three.But the only group really able to be painted with a broad brush is the management group, especially the leadership team.Does OL, the HR VP, know she's called "Cruella" behind her back? Maybe. Would she care? Not for a second.CG knows numbers, but why does he protect "the favorites" and throw good, hardworking people under the bus?VF? Meet the VP of "creative" finance. Mr. "Fuzzy" Math himself.JL's head is in the clouds. Circ is sliding, and he's patted on the back. "Cost savings!!"GS? The only IT person left that's NOT working his butt off.JS-- along with GS-- should anyone have been promoted to VP within the past year, let alone 6 months? Really?LI? Chews sales reps up and spits them out. Sometimes she even keeps her mouth shut while she's eating.I'll the my newsroom compatriots handle Rick. I barely know him to see him.And Ann.... well..... how WAS your vacation?I sure hasn't been any fun at the office. And that's in spite of your absence.

Hey Anonymous at 5:10 PM...love your initials and the innuendos...Want to ad an initial:

AG-could you possibly come up with one more calendar of special events that does not pan out because no one sells it! I wish I had her job....oh yeah, does everyone know she is related to DG? Maybe that is why a calendar gal, keeps her fat-cat job!

I agree on the LI....she talks out of both sides of her mouth...heard she never was a salesperson and has no idea how it is on the streets....hard to talk to the gang, when you have not been at street level!

You know, if a hurricane has come through and the power's out, I think I am going to be more worried about what is actually going on in my house than I am in what restaurant's opening this weekend or what party was cool last night or whether illegal aliens who work in poultry plants don't like their working conditions.

If McClatchy papers actually reported news anymore, we might care. But since they don't, we don't. All we get from them is biased opinion and useless fluff.

AH, we digress to talk about a hurricane issue...people are losing their jobs and you all want to yap about a hurricane story. The truth is, newspapers are not necessarily dying...belive it or not people do read the newspaper. There are still many who like to read the paper on the plane, at Starbucks, on the deck...etc...and then there are the ones who visit Charlotteobserver.com... I am afraid we are not yet to the point where everyone turns to one medium to find news, weather, coupons, etc...when we have one medium we will all be looking for a job I suspect. The Charlotte Observer will prevail and it will be what the employees who still work there make it to be! There are some who will still need some cheese with their "whine", and some who really should do a self-evaluation (do I really need to be working here, or want to be), go find a job somewhere that you can be happier...Do the few that are left a big favor...leave or rebuild!

What does a hurricane have to do with this discussion? I used to live in Florida and I can tell you that newspaper service was not a high priority during those times. Everyone was tuned into the weather channel to watch those TV nuts stand in the wind and try not to get blown away.

Do you really believe there is some critical service provided by print newspapers that would justify keeping them around just for the occassional hurricane?

That is a desperate grasp for relevancy on your part.

There are many ways to delivery local news without newspapers. Smart phones, netbooks, laptops and whatever other devices are invented in the future.

The only question is how they will be funded. Subscription or advertising.

The business model of hundreds of reporters being funded by newspaper classifieds, full page auto and real estate ads, is fading away.

Adapt and evolve or get busy in a new career path.

I suggest that we would all be better off if the print newspaper die sooner rather than struggle on for a few years with more cuts every six months. Let's end this now and find out what the new business model is for local news. We will only have the market demand once the local print newspaper is out of the way.

I used to work for a daily McClatchy paper, and now I work for an independent on-line news source. I'm still covering the same beat and publishing two to three articles a day. The McClatchy paper I used to write for covers the beat with four or five articles a week that are hopelessly out of date - sometimes they run stories that I covered as long as six months ago! Journalism is NOT dying. It is becoming better and more timely on the internet.

I know times are very bad but if you can't get beyond the name calling and bad attitude, do the rest of us a favor, LEAVE. We will rebuild!! No more naming folks, these are very good people at The Observer!!!

Anonymous 6:20 AM:I agree with you. AC was supposed to be the "wunderkind", to save us from the brink when Peter Ridder left and McClatchy took over. I always wondered how she could go from sales rep to being the publisher. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't recall hearing that she had any journalism experience. But maybe you don't actually have to know anything about reporting to run a newspaper.

As for LI? Can anyone say "Jerry Kackley?" I don't know about the newsroom but as far as advertising, TCO has never had an independent, creative thought in its life. "Hey, if it works in KC it MUST be good for Charlotte". Right, because a market is a market is a market.

FU Ann. As if it won't be noticed when 30 people's bylines no longer appear in the paper? You are a waste of space. BTW, when you ask working parents to work part-time, you might as well fire them. Good luck paying for daycare. Daycare doesn't offer "part time" discounts.

TCO was really fat compared to lots of daily papers, especially today. There were too many people there who only wrote a story or two a week, if that. I always wondered what the heck they were doing all week.

You know what? I know it takes the reporters to write and editors to make sure there is room for all the articles but what about the rest of the company that works tirelessly to put out a good looking product on time and do it with the best possible quality? What about the mailroom folks that get the bundles to the trucks so they in turn can get them to the DC's? To some of us this is our pride and joy,we work hard every day or night catch mistakes that others make and with so few peopple left if a printing plate is off,someone from the pressrom has to go up and find he section then find the correct neg.be it color or blk. and reprint the plate I know people that have been there 30 and 40 years and STILL to this day care about the product we produce so lets stop bitchin and moanin about wheather newspapers are a dying breed,because they do not have to be IF people will get off their ass and work, even in these hard times we must keep going and hopefully soon someone will come in with a new and fresh way for us to survive,because the managers we have now just play the frickin blame game.He told me to do this or she told me to do that,take pride in the story that goes beside your little halftone picture and lets work together.And I mean all papers regardless of who the the frik owns you,some of us do,yes LOVE to hear the presses run and see the Observer trucks going out just because we all got ink in our blood!!!!! Thanks and TCO thanks for 27 years and counting...............

Meanwhile, McClatchy and the Observer top management have concluded it's worthwhile to "merge" the Raleigh and Charlotte features and sports departments. Longtime subscribers have begun asking their friends who work at the O why on earth they should pay for a paper padded with material from 180 miles away. Honestly, does McClatchy think Charlotte is just a suburb of Raleigh?

During FOUR rounds of layoffs at TCO, the worker bees can't help but notice that not one of the top dozen managers got laid off. One of those hefty salaries could have salvaged 3 jobs out on the floor. We can only wonder, when the time comes that they're the only ones left, whether they'll be able to figure out how to use the byzantine CCI-NewsGate system to actually put stories online or in the paper.

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